The Secrets We Hold Tight
by The Sakura Dragon
Summary: Join Koyume Koizuka a now grown manga author as she tells you the story of her teenage years. flipping through the proverbial pages of her live. And telling you of the good times, and of the bad. So why not come on in and sit by the fire for awhile? (There isn't any category for Comic Girls yet. But once there is It's gonna go right in there. Sorry everyone, I'm working on it!)
1. Chapter 1

"Ah finally finished!" She exclaimed, jumping up from her seat and running towards the box of donuts on the other side of the room. Biting into the icing covered pastry she savored the tasty treat but only for a moment as it quickly disappeared.

Grabbing for another donut she heard a person begin to speak and stopped in her tracks just before taking a large bite.

"Now what am I going to do with you?…" Said a voice right behind her, slowly nearing her as it spoke.

"I-I was only gonna have a small snack"

"Oh really now? Right before dinner?"

"Really, really!" The young shoujo manga artist said. "And…and I just finished my manuscript so I was giving myself a little reward!"

"Well, you do know what we said about too many sweets right Koyume?" The purple haired young lady asked, pinching the girls forearm.

"I know I know!"

"Well dinner is ready so come on down okay?" She got up and continued. "I didn't mean to be rude Koyume-Chan." Ruki flashed a smile as she went to the door. "You wouldn't want to lose your chance with Tsubasa because a little chubbiness now would you?"

'What…what on earth was she talking about? What does she mean "chance" anyways? That makes no sense whatsoever.' Koyume babbled to herself in her head as she got ready for dinner. Hiding a crimson red blush which adorned her cheeks in a surprisingly cute way.

Walking down to the dinning room where her fellow dorm mates were all congregated probably sitting around a warm, home-cooked meal made by their dorm mother. Chatting about the days events, manga, and whatever else came to their minds. She paused before rushing into the room where that was exactly what she was greeted by.

Sitting on one end was Ririka-San, the kind woman who herself had written a good amount of Yuri manga in her own high school days, now taking the time to take care of the needs of all of the girls. Next to her was Fuura, a ghostly black haired girl who writes horror manga, and, has a fascination with scaring the newest of our group. Moeta-Chan.

Moeta's the youngest of the group and although in high school herself, is many times recognized as a grade schooler due to her small body. Oh, and she is quite calming when you hug her. Fourth, we have the ever mature and older sister of Ruki-Chan. Always mature, but yet oh so loving, and caring to all of us equally. Her, and her beauty collectively keep us in line.

And then finally, there's Tsubasa-San. Now…where do I begin. Tsubasa-San is a manga artist as well, drawing shounen manga and even having one of them serialized. But even more then that she's so so pretty. With blue hair that falls to her shoulders and a extremely cool sense of style, I'm so confused as to how she hasn't been snatched up just like that. Not that I'm complaining or anything though.

And that's the group except for me. But I mean what's there to really know? A lover of sweets, body issues, and a problem with trusting to quickly. There isn't really much.

But that's us. A group of misfits yes, but one I would give up anything to keep.

"Hey Koyume, why don't you come sit down? The food will really warm you up." Ririka called out to her, snapping Koyume out of her trance.

"Ah, Yes ma'am"

"You don't have to yes ma'am me. I'm not that old." She answered, giggling calmly.

"Yes, It brings people closer. Right Kaos-Chan?" Fuura spoke up, her voice growing more demonic.

"Ababababababa!" Moeta stuttered, hugging Ruki.

'Yup. Just normal life I guess. But now what?' She thought, looking over to Tsubasa who she sat next to before quickly looking back at her food. 'I can't eat like this, I can't even pay attention. What should I do?'

"Koyume-Chan are you okay?" Ruki asked, concerned.

"I'm okay, what do you need?"

"Nothing you just look a little off. Are you feeling okay?"

"Ruki is right, is something wrong?"

'Great, now I have Tsubasa, no everyone, worried. Stupid me.' "I'm okay! Just a little nervous about turning in my manuscript. Or maybe I had a little to many sweets. Teehee." Koyume responded in her usual energetic and carefree way.

"Ah you finished you're manuscript Koyume-Senpai?" Moeta chimed in. "Can I see it?!" She asked, leaning over the table with a sparkle in her eye.

"Calm down Moeta-Chan. Why do you want to see it anyway?"

"I need to see the skills of a super good artist if I even want to climb the latter from being a side character."

"No! No you don't Moeta-Chan! I think you're perfect the way you are!" Ruki said hugging the pink haired girl.

"That's great though Koyume-Chan, I would be nervous too. Do you want me to read it tomorrow?"

"Tsu…Tsubasa-San…Yes please!" Koyume requested, bowing to her and banging her head on the table and spilling her drink in the progress. "Wha! I'm so sorry!"

"No no it's okay! don't worry Koyume." Ririko got up and got a towel to wipe up the spilled liquid before it began to drip to the floor.

"Are you okay Koyume?"

"Y-Yes I am. Sorry..."

"Don't say you're sorry, now let me see that, it sounds like it hurt pretty bad."

"Okay…" Koyume lifted her hair to show a faint red mark. Looking into Tsubasa's eyes, she began to blush straight red.

"It looks like that'll be okay, but your face is red. Do you have a fever?"

"I don't think so"

Touching her forehead to Koyume's she checked for a temperature of some sort. Not finding any she still couldn't help but feel concerned for the younger girl.

"I don't feel much of anything temperature wise, but it might be a good idea to rest for tonight."

"Tsubasa has a point, that's a good idea" Ruki agreed.

"I'll bring you water and stuff whatever you need!" Moeta offered with concern.

"I think I will then. I'm sorry again everyone." With that she got up from her seat and pushed her chair back in.

"Nonsense, I'll come in and wake you up tomorrow, just rest alright? I'll cook you something tomorrow if you still feel bad." The still young house mother replied with a smile. Which soon was mirrored by the others.

"Get better soon!"

"Sleep well"

"I'm sure you'll be doing well by tomorrow, just rest."

"Thank you, everyone." Koyume said, stepping out of the room and walking up the stairs to her room. Where she not so carefully plopped down on her bed.

'Now what do I do? I messed absolutely everything up! Again!' She rolled around on the bed not sure what to do. Now being left with only herself and the company of her thoughts. Which, never does end well does it?

Soon enough, at least sooner than she had expected, Koyume let sleep capture her in his dark caverns. Quelling her anxiety and giving her much needed peace. But, it seems that cavern shallowed out much quicker than expected. Finding the climb up into an aware waking state took much less time. Looking at the analog clock on the side of her bed she stared at the large red numbers for a moment. Fighting off the cobwebs of sleep that still manifested in her brain. It was still early, 12:30 to be exact.

Looking across the room in the through the darkness the figure of a small long haired girl could be made out. Probably dreaming about whatever new Yuri was given to her by the Gods.

Getting out of the bed, the blond stumbled as quietly as she could over to the window, opening the blinds a crack and looking into the dark abyss that was normal for most all Tokyo suburbs. With only one or two dimly lit street lights guiding the traffic almost in a lazy fashion. It really did make a quite dreary setting.

'I guess I'll grab a bottle of water then…nothing else to do anyway.' Stepping out of the door into the wood paneled hallway. "Why is it always so cold at night?"

"Probably due to the cloudy weather."

"Tsubasa-San?!"

"I couldn't sleep either so I thought I would rummage around the fridge." Tsubasa replied. "You thinking the same thing I take it?"

"Yes…actually I was. But it might just go back to bed."

"How come?"

We walked down the hallway as she looked at me. The butterfly's began to flutter around my stomach as they did so commonly when I was with her.

"It's so cold. Why can't we just have insulation and heating like all those lucky people in the United States?!" I pouted, covering up my nervousness as best I could.

I remember her laughing with as she removed her sweatshirt which she had throw on lazily just before.

"Here, take this, it'll keep you warm." She offered it to me with a genuine smile on her face.

'Man looking back…I wish I could have just hugged her then.'

"Th…thanks" I replied blushing with gusto. Wait who the hell uses the word gusto anymore?

"I didn't really it anyway. Don't worry about it." She sat at the kitchen table. "You have your manuscript with you by any chance?" Tsubasa-San sipped her sparkling water looking over the bottle at me.

"I do, it's in living room in my briefcase. How come?" I asked her curiously, which now that I think about it probably looked pretty stupid. Being that I paused mid way through a bit on my midnight snack. You guessed it, Donuts.

"Why don't you go grab it? I'm not doing anything anyways, and you wanted to go through it with me before tomorrow right?"

"Really?!" I had gotten excited as usual, setting down the donut with a little to much force and fake running, "Are you sure?"

"Yup, go ahead and grab it." She waved towards the living room. "I'll be here."

"Yay! I'll be right back!" And with that my fake run became real. And I went as quickly as I could without waking everyone else.

I remember grabbing the manuscript and having it finally sink it what was going on. I was about to go to Tsubasa with a manuscript in the middle of the night, whist wearing her favorite blue sweatshirt. What on earth now? I couldn't do this. "No way" I thought as I stepped back into the kitchen.

"I'm back!"

"Awesome, I thought I would heat up a little late dinner for us while we're here anyway so… here." Tsubasa slid a plate of cookies and a glass of milk my way. With…was that a blush?

I pulled out the paper-clipped bundle of manga pages and set them on the island. My anxiety was through the roof. And my heart was beating faster then I could count. Tsubasa must have noticed my nervousness because of her worried expression.

"No need to be anxious. It's not like your about to show me something like Ruki's manga right?" She said with a chuckle. "I'm sure it's gonna be amazing. So why don't we start?" She spoke to me calmingly.

That smile, that damn smile again I tell you. It got me before, it got me now, and it gets me even now. It's just so sincere. And this time, made me forget my fears and just be myself.

"Well you see my editor wanted me to make the story a little more romance sided so I did this and this…"

I pointed out different parts of the manga, and asked her thoughts. And that's how we spent most of the night. Until the birds chirped in early morning and the sun reached the horizon. Until we fell asleep, me involuntarily leaning on a sleeping Tsubasa. God I wish I could have felt the feelings I felt that night forever. I tell you. Forever.

Well then, that was quite the intro there was it not? Or are you to busy wondering what the hell your doing here? I mean it is quite understandable. You did just wake up here, and want to do I do? Just begin blabbing my own stories.

"Well it is quite typical of you, you must know that right?"

"Oh come on…you know I don't mean to." She pauses. "These cookies are pretty good you know that right?" the girl says taking a bit out of a cookie. "Ehh Raisins…actually forget that last comment." She added on once she discovered every 10 year olds biggest nightmare. That their suspicions were correct. Grandma did put raisins in the cookies.

"Please forgive her rudeness. She is my…friend, and she is also the narrator for this story. And well me, I'm the co-pilot of this whole operation I guess."

"So…what is this place?" You ask inquisitively.

"A project!" The blond shouted energetically.

"Well yeah but…like what project?"

"Of course that wouldn't help much huh?" The Co-Pilot giggles calmly. "Well the idea of this 'project' is to entertain. At least that's what this girl over here says." She points to the other girl now.

"I wanted to read my story to someone."

"That's it?"

"Yup"

"Really?…"

"Uh huh. I wanted to share just how much I loved my first crush. So here I am." She answered, seeming to ignore the fact that you had just woken up in a random room.

But at least it was cozy. Right? You were sitting on a large leather couch. Warmed up by the fire which was sizzling cracking and popping peacefully as it did it's job. Above the fireplace was a wooden counter of sorts, which held a few nicknack's and and the center a black framed picture on it's stand. The picture seeming to contain four girls. One being much shorter then the others and smiling brightly.

"Pretty much My friend here wanted to write something other then a manga for the longest time. So, she had the idea of writing a book of her own about growing up in a manga dorm. But of course she never let me read it. Not until recently at least."

"You mean this is your first time hearing it?"

"No no, I read it. It was only a little bit ago thought."

"I see…"

"Anything else you wanna know?" The first lady asked me.

"Well…what might your names be?"

"Well, I'm Koyume, I years back I used to live in a girls dorm for manga writers. With those amazing girls up there." She pointed to the picture you had noticed before.

"And you are?"

"I'm Koyume's Co-Pilot, roommate, partner in business, and wife. The name's Katsuki. But you can call me Tsubasa."

"Come on…Tsu-Chan~! Why do you always have to be so cool?!" She asked playfully jumping from her chair and pouncing on this Tsubasa girl.

"Don't you think we should probably send this guy off so he can wake up and get along with his day?"

"Hmm…good idea." She replied putting on her thinking face.

"So…now what?" You ask them completely lost.

"Well, we're gonna take you when you fall asleep and read to you and stuff."

"Unless you want us to leave you be." Katsuki added.

"Yup! But we really really hope you'll stay.! Right Tsu-Chan?"

"Well it's up to you. If you want to come back next time and join us them please do, But it really is up to you."

"You said that twice Tsubasa." Koyume messed with her playfully.

"Hey I'm no better than you at this whole look sophisticated jargon." She challenged back before they both looked to me.

"So what do you say?" They asked in unison.

"Ehhhh, Sure…why not."

"Awesome! We'll see you next time then!" Koyume spoke happily, grabbing another sweet and waving me off with energy unrivaled by any other person I've ever met. Whist Katsuki gave me a kind not and smile as I faded back.

'Whether of not I would return? Well that was up to me right? Well I did promise them though.' "Ah whatever. I'm not gonna make it to work on time if I just sit here all day." I say to myself as I climb out of bed and start my day.

"See you later girls"

END CHAPTER 1: What the Wild One's Do When They're Bored.


	2. When Things Don't Go The Way We Thought

"Oh well who do have here?" Koyume asked in a fake bad ass voice which she failed horribly.

"Koyume that voice really doesn't mesh well with your personality…you know that right?"

"Aw~ Tsu-Chan you're so mean!" She exclaimed chomping down on a glazed doughnut begrudgingly.

"Well I mean she does have a point…" I remember chiming in whist I chuckled internally.

"You too! Really!" She finished her doughnut before wiping off her hands. "Let's just start the story."

"You really don't think welcoming him back isn't going to happen right?"

"Ah! I forgot!"

"Well then, I guess that's just as usual huh?" Tsubasa shook her head, having expected this exact thing to happen. "But welcome back, we're both really glad to see that you kept your promise and returned."

"We didn't think you'd come back!" The blond yelled from the opposite side of the room.

"Who exactly do you think I am, you girls?" I gruffly questioned them.

"Hey, I never said that."

"Anyway! Let's start chapter two!"

"Alright…" I sit myself down in the chair straight across from the fireplace. 'I wonder if it's been burning like that even after I left.' I my inner voice wondered.

"Ready?" Tsubasa asked looking over towards me.

"Ah let me just-" I tried to say something but the story began, and down I fell through the early morning air.

"I told you not to start reading to early!" Tsubasa ridiculed.

"But I wanted to get started…" Koyume pouted not so slightly. Actually it was the most noticeable part of her face.

"Just be careful…" Tsubasa then addressed me, "Are you hurt anywhere?" is the question she posed.

"I'm fine, should I be worried?"

"Well a false start can cause injury in rare circumstances." Koyume responded nonchalantly.

"Well that's no good, huh…well I'm fine, just a little tired of falling through the air."

"Well then why don't we begin?" Tsubasa motioned for Koyume to begin reading. Using some sign that was unknown to me.

I awoke with a start, the contents of my dream escaping me to quick for me to be able to pinpoint it's meaning. Finding myself left only with the sense of dread one might get when attacked by the likes of Fuura. What on earth could that dream had been about? Well, at this point I might as well just get going right? Before it nags at my brain ceaselessly. And with that goal in mind, she left for the bathroom, deciding a shower would be most necessary.

"Hey! I don't sound like this in real life! What on earth did they do to my character?"

"Well, I mean that's what happens when you don't write your own book."

"Don't blame me," she argued. "I'm not a writer…"

"Well you write the stories for your manga, so I'm not letting you get away with that one."

"You're so mean…"

Anyways, Jumping into the shower, and letting the warm water cascade down me; pooling on the ground and running into the drain just feet from where I was standing. I could stand here forever was what I had thought to myself. And most truthfully is what I would have done if it wasn't for the fact that time was lacking. Finally twisting the knob, the water stopped, and I prepared to face the bitter cold on the other side of the curtain.

And after doing so, I had dressed in the nicest clothes which I could find, that wouldn't look to flashy.

Stepping out of the room and into the hallway I made my way down the stairs before stopping at the kitchen's border. But found myself pausing once again.

You see, when you have anxiety over a certain part of your life, the other parts of your life become affected as well. To the point doing basic tasks such as speaking with others is something that scares the person in question. That is exactly what was happening here, causing me to stop and think about what I would even say.

"Oh how stupid," I had thought, "There's no reason for me to be anxious." shaking my head anxiously as I tried to get some sort of confidence to grow within myself, to no avail. "But what if the other girls notice? What if…Tsubasa notices?" But I had to push that out of my brain for the time being. Or else I wouldn't get anywhere, now would I? And with that I finally set a sock clad foot onto the cold ceramic floor.

"Koyume!" Moeta yelled out to me happily, looking up from her syrup covered waffles.

"Moeta!" I copied her, running up and pulling her into a giant hug.

"Morning Koyume, did you sleep well?" Ririka-San asked me from across the table to which of course I responded with an energetic; "Yes Ma'am!" and sat myself down at the table. But before I could begin to eat, the cause of my anxiety came up quite quickly.

"So, are you ready to turn in your manuscript?" Tsubasa asked me. Causing my food to stop moving towards me, right before I took a large bite.

"Uh…yeah"

Responding after a gulp of her orange juice, "You don't sound ready, Koyume." Ruki-San observed worriedly.

"Is something wrong? Do you feel sick?" Tsubasa once again asked, but this time whist walking towards me.

"No no! Really I'm fine!" I tried to recover, but to no avail, she could see right through me.

"You're a terrible liar," She put her forehead to mine, "you know that right?" She looked me right in the eyes for a moment. And for that moment I felt like I could have lost myself in them forever, with no complaints whatsoever. But of course even good moments must end, and Tsubasa pulled her head back away from mine before saying, "You seem fine to me," and walking back to her chair. "she doesn't a temperature, or anything else wrong that I could see."

"Are you sure you want to go turn in your manuscript? You can just stay home with me…but no you wouldn't want to stay with a failure of a manga artist. Who can't even get her own serialization, please forgive me!" Moeta rambled herself into oblivion quickly, to which all of us reacted to the best way we knew how. Most of use just cuddling her while she incoherently said, "Thank you, God" repeatedly.

"Do you think you're actually okay though?" The dorm-mother asked me. "I can cook you up a nice warm soup and we can go tomorrow." She looked around at the other girls, "They could reschedule her, right?" trying her best to get their confirmation.

"No…I **need** to do this today. Or else I'll just keep living my life putting things off without getting them done." I finally spoke, conjuring up as much courage as possible. Getting up I brought my plate to the sink. "Tsubasa…looked it over with me, so I'm sure I'll be okay." I remember blushing when I said her name, the memories of last night washing over me like a fountain. I've got to shake this off, she's just a girl anyway. I had thought to myself, trying to get her face out of my head.

Walking back to the kitchen I had grabbed my bag, thinking it better to just get out of there, before being around the blue haired shounen artist became the death of me.

"You're leaving early?"

"Yeah…" Shoot I need to think up an excuse, and quick, "I thought I would take the long way to the station today instead." is what I said. But in truth, I merely needed to get away as quickly as I could. I don't care how long I'd have to sit in that waiting room, I just needed to get out of there.

"Ah I see, well have a nice walk!"

"You got this."

"Good luck"

…It was small, but coming from Tsubasa, actually, all the encouragement from everybody, made me feel so happy. So, with a signature smile, and a small slight of hand, I grabbed a doughnut and left the room.

Doing a half sprint down the hall as to make sure nothing of value got broken I reached the door, to which I pulled and opened it, letting the outside in. Finally the breeze hit me for the first time that day actually calming me a little bit, believe it or not. Taking a left turn and walking down the street, one at a time I heard the voices of the elderly saying their usual morning greeting of "Ohayo" as I passed them. As well as making some comment about the weather, or stray cats, or any other thing they were thinking of at that moment. After that same thing for a good quarter mile, I reached the end of our street and turned right.

Ah taiyaki, I haven't had that in awhile. I swiveled my head toward the smell and looked at the convenience store which had opened just that past Autumn. Checking my watch I made a small frown when I saw that I didn't have the time to stop. I guess chit chatting with Anne took longer then I thought huh?

By the way let me interject here to tell you Anne is the old foreign lady at the end of our street, who always seems to find something to make conversation about, not that you cared though.

"Well I can get some on the way back right?" I had thought to myself, my mouth drooling a little bit at the thought of the sweets. But since I didn't have the time needed of course, I continued on, the train station only maybe 100 meters farther down the road.

Reaching said train station I paid my fair and got my ticket. Before finding myself standing on the platform counting minutes and thinking to myself how I could have gotten that taiyaki by now. And finally, the train came, to which I stepped into the boxcar and surveyed my options. Sit next to a drunk old man? No. What about go in the back by the college kids? I don't think so, that would give them the perfect cover to do whatever they wanted. Not like I'm good looking enough for them to try anything away. "I guess I'll just stand like I usually do." I whispered to myself, grabbing hold of one of those handle thingamajigs that were hanging from the train's roof.

And down the track we went. Although the train ride to where I was meeting my editor really was not very long at all, it sure felt as if it was. Maybe it could have been my anxiety trying to mess with my subconscious, or maybe I was just still in a zombie like state since I hadn't had any coffee that morning. But either way we soon made it to my stop, to which I walked off the train, just happy to be able to move my legs once again. And I started to make my way to the location I was suppose to meet my editor at.

My heart beating quicker the nearer I got to the cafe, I held my neatly stuffed manuscript bag over my chest. Oddly enough, I recall breaking out into a run just so I would be able to feel the wind on my face once more. Turning the corner, I bumped into a salary man who shouted a brash "watch it!" to which I bowed hurriedly and continued to run. And run, and run, and run…until I reached my intended location, The 15th and Main Cafe.

You know, it really was a quaint little place, yes they were going for a busy and bustling New York kind of look, but it reminds me of something more suited for a small Scottish town. It was right next to what had to be at least a ten story building as well, but, what could you do? Striding inside to give myself a confident look, or at least the best I could, the barista gave me a warm welcome and asked me what I would like to order.

Putting my hands on the counter and looking up excitedly at all the delicious sounding flavors I told her, "I'll take a double chocolate iced coffee!" before noticing my little stumble and regaining composure.

"That comes out to 562 yen ma'am, would you like anything else with that order?"

"Uh, no that's all."

"Understood, coming right up," She spoke with an obviously faked toothy smile, "if you would please just wait over there." She finished, motioning her hand to the counter which was to the right of us.

I thanked her and paced over to the counter slowly, grabbed my coffee when it was ready, and began my search for the brown haired young man that was my editor. Finally after walking around for a good minute I spotted him in the corner, sipping coffee and pulling a few papers out of his leather briefcase. I hurried over to him and sat down giving him as best a greeting I could muster.

"Good morning, Ken-San"

"Oh there you are, I didn't see you sit. But…" He looked at me…inquisitively. "Isn't it already past morning by now?"

"I…guess so, huh?" I responded with a nervous chuckle.

"Hey, you don't to be scared at all. I may judge work, but not people. Right?"

"Right"

"Well, now that we have that out of the way, I take it you have the manuscript in full?" Ken looked at the pink, white stitched bag curiously.

"I do, let me grab it real quick!" I spoke setting my coffee down, hassling with the bag for a good bit of time, before finally setting the manuscript on the table. "Here it is! 75 pages, all inked, drawn, and complete!"

"Ah good, now…what exactly was the direction you took this story in?" He asked me, looking over the pages quite closely. "I'm just trying to figure out what all this is suppose to be is all."

"Well, remember when we spoke last time and you said I should bring more romance into the story?"

"Yes I do, that what the publishing company was hoping for if I recall." Stopping between what I believe to be the 25th to 30th pages, his eyebrows furrowed, seemingly thinking for a moment as to what he was looking at. "Eh, if you don't mind me asking," Ken set his papers down, putting his shoulders on the table and leaning in towards me. "what was your reasoning for making the two characters kiss on the first date?" He asked in a whisper.

"I was…drawing based on how I always saw relationships play out in my head," I squirmed nervously in my seat. "I think."

"I see…"

"Is there something wrong with the manuscript Sir?"

"Well…various things truthfully. Your having the main characters kiss on the first date being just one. You see, I noticed a good few issues. If I was to look back on your first chapter, which you turned in the month before last, one might see what I believe to be much, much better art quality. The art from this chapter seems to have had a strong drop, if you were to ask my opinion. Along with that, the story really doesn't seem to go anywhere at all. I mean, I can completely understand and get behind the idea of "Beach Episodes" at the right time. But, how do I explain this correctly? The second chapter is just way to early to be doing so. Then finally, as mentioned before, the speed at which the characters romantic relationship develops is much to quick. I could probably get away with looking over the kiss if it was merely that, but, I cannot let the many other pacing mishaps by my sight unnoticed." Ken explained to me calmly. His face slowly sobering as he spoke. "And, for those reasons, I am very sad to inform you…I cannot accept this month's manuscript." He finished, looking at me with a pitiful look in his hazel eyes.

"So, that's…it?" I ask desperately, knowing what has just happened, but not at all wanting to face it.

"I am sad to say it is. Though I hope our next meeting goes better than today's." The middle aged man replied, standing up and giving a small bow, grasping his leather briefcase in his hand once again as he took his leave.

"So that really is it, huh?" I ask myself as I sit alone for a moment.

I was probably a good ten minutes before I got up from the booth I was sitting at and left that damned cafe. Stepping out and beginning to walk, I took the wrong way a good three or so times before finally letting it hit me. I had been rejected, I won't be in Manga Time this month, but instead I'll be replaced by some other artist who was lucky enough to have a half decent editor. There is no way on earth that actually just happened, I had thought to myself, my gait slowly beginning to resemble that of a drunkards. Could anyone really blame me though? In a way I was drunk, drunk on sadness. As much as people don't want to believe it, emotions are more potent then any pills you could chug.

Soon I began to cry, not a loud cry, like the ones somebody might see in a really bad Telenova or something like that. It was the kind of cry that caught you by surprise; the sort where at one moment you were fine and the next you felt a tear on your cheek. Then they just wouldn't stop.

When that began was the moment I slipped into one of those small alley ways and just crumbled. Crumbled under the weight of all the stress that had been building for such a long time. All I needed was to hear something, tell someone, to hear her, and tell her. And with that thought in mind I dialed her number, Tsubasa's number.

"Hello?" She answered, "How did it go Koyume-chan?" she asked before hearing what she must have deducted to have been my crying. "Are you okay?" "Are you there?" "Koyume?" The questions came, I could tell she was scared, but I just couldn't speak. "What…happened?"

"I-I failed…"

"What on earth do you mean you failed?"

"They rejected it…my manuscript, they said it wasn't good enough." My mind started to race after I had finally spoke. "Now I'm going to lose my spot, my serialization that I worked so hard for…"

"I'm sure everything's going to be just fine, this stuff happens from time to time. I mean, look at Kaos-Sensei."

"Abababababa!" Came a shocked sounding voice from the background. My tears finally beginning to dry.

"I…I guess so huh?"

"Exactly. You just have to take it in stride." Tsubasa responded, concerned, yet relief could be heard in her voice. "Now, where are you so we can pick up?"

"You don't have to pick me up." I responded, standing and wiping the tears from my face. "I can make it home on my own."

"Okay, If you said so…"

"I'll be okay, I promise."

"Good, just stay safe, we have doughnut's here, and I'm sure you would like one right about now." She bribed.

"Doughnuts?!"

"Yep."

"I'll be right there!" I spoke walking out of the alley I was in.

"Of course you will be." She laughed then hung up the phone.

I flipped the phone shut before throwing it in my pocket. Let's be truthful here. My thoughts were on the doughnut's at this point in time, just as anyone would expect. So, with a little cheer I threw my fist up in the air, sprinting to the train station with the first real feeling of excitement I've felt that day.

End Chapter 2: When Things Don't Go The Way We Thought.


End file.
